Improvement in firemen s ladders



3Sheet s--She eti. D. WARD.

Firemens-Ladder.

No. 168,947, Patented0ct.19,1875.

C. WARD. Fire mens-Ladder.

3 Sheefs sheet 2.

No.l68,947. f Patented0ct.19,1875

YMQ. P)

N, PETERS, PNOTO LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D Q

3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

C.- WARD.

Firemens-Ladder.

wipiw Patented Oct. 19,1875.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

CHARLES WARD, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIREMENS LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,947, dated October 19, 1875; application filed I June 3, 1875.

portation. Fig. 2 represents a plan or top view of the ladder and hose-carriage withthe ladders removed. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the rear part of the carriage with the rear hinged tail-board lowered, as when running off hose horizontally from the reels.

This invention consists of certain new and useful improvements in firemens ladder and hose-carriages, in certain of the connected and connecting mechanisms, and in the combinations thereof, and forming or constituting the apparatus. All the parts 'or elements, and their combinations, and the construction and mode of operation, are hereinafter more fully described.

1n the said drawings, A represents the body or floor of the carriage, mounted on rear wheels B and forward wheels D in any convenient manner for moving and handling the carriage and the apparatus. To the inner edge of each rear wheel B aspnr-gear, H, is securely fastened, and above .each gear H, and meshingiir to each said gear, is a second spur-gear, K, secured to the end of a drum-shaft, L, supported in fixed bearings M on the rear end of the floor A. These tivo separate drum-shafts are each provided with a larger and a smaller hoisting-drum, a, and b, around which ropes or cords d and flare wound, to hoist or extend the ladders, 'each cord passing from its drum forward, and both around a wheel, h, arranged in a stand, m, rising from the floor A near the forward end thereof. From each wheel h the two cords d andf pass upward to, and connect with, the extension-ladders. These extensionladders are constructed in two or more common sliding sections. The lower section B of each ladder has upon the lower end of each Y side thereof a suitable metal eye, 9, by which to loosely connect each ladder to 'a swivel cross-bar, N, so as to swing the ladders to any desired position-that is, crosswise or lengthwise with the carriage, or at an angle between these two positions. This cross-bar N projects from opposite sides of the head 0 of a'spind-le loosely seated in a step, D at about the cen-;'

ter of the floor A, and near each end of the cross-bar is a-hasp or fastening hook, f, to hold the set cross-bar and the connected ladderin position. The eyes 9 on the lower end of each lower section B are slid onto each projection of the cross-bar, where they are movable to allow the ladders to be elevated or lowered, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Each drum-shaft L is movable endwise in its bearings, so as to throw the teeth of their gears K into or-ont of contact with the wheel-gears H, and this is done by a lever, P, or other suita ble device, arranged upon a beam or bar, I, a little forward of, and taking hold of, the drumshaft. Each section of the ladder orladders, except the upper section B has a roll or wheel, a, on its top round to carry the hoisting-cords, and make them run easier and with less frietion and each lower section B has hinge or spring connected struts R at the upper end, to set against the wall of building, and hold or support the top end of the ladder. When not in use these struts are swung downward, and their ends secured, by a link, 0, to the edge of the ladder, all as seen in Fig. 1. The cord (1 runs from the larger drama round the Wheel h, and upward over the wheel a on the top round of the section B downward, where it is fastened to one of the lower rounds of the upper section B The. cord f runs from the smaller drum 1) round the wheel h, and upward over the wheel n on the top round of the lower section B and downward, where it is fastened to one of the lower rounds of the section B each cord and drum operating to hoist its connected ladder, each of which is carried or transported in the position of the ladder B in Fig. 1, and resting on the top edge of the tail-board D.

To elevate and extend either of the ladders in this last-named position the drum-shaft on the same side of the carriage is pushed endwise and outward by the lever P sufficient to of the ladder, and

mesh the teeth of the gear K into the teeth of the .gear H; and then I generally more the carriage forwardor backward, when the weight of the carriage and the apparatus upon the rear wheel, by its motion, causes its inner gear H to turn the gear K and the drum-shaft and drums, and these wind up the cords, the smaller drum first tightening the cordf, and by this cord drawing the top end of the section B and the closed other ladders upward to the position of the ladder B (Seen in Fig. 1.) In this position both "of thecords become tightened,ornearly so, and, continuing the motion of the carriage and the gears and drums, the larger drum a, carrying and winding up the cord d, connected to the top section B moves this section :upward about twice as fast-as the section B is moved by the cord fand the smallerdrum b; and by this means both or all the movable slidingsections of the ladder aretextended, andareaclr their highest point at theisame time. Before hoisting or extending theiladdersa joint or line of hose, E maybe attached to the topor other portionot' the uppersection B or to either of the other seetions,-and by this means the hose end and its pipe carried up with the ladder, the hose being wound-upon a reel, S,-connected to or carried on the tail-board D of the carriage. Previous to elevating the ladders, or afteraward, it wanted for supports, the struts R are released from their links and thrown out by theirsprings Di to supportthe top of the ladder bybracing against a wall in their reach.

- To close or slideathe sections of the ladder to- :gether,the gear K is disconnected from the gear Hflbypnshing in the drum-shaft and its gear to the position of the right-hand drnm-,

shaft L, (seen in Fig. 2,) where the gear His seenioutside of the gear K, when the sections of the ladder are easily hauled down and closed together, the cords slackening by the turning back of the liberated drum-shaft and drums. a a

The tailboard D before referred to, is hingedito the rear end of the carriage or floor A; and is'held in a vertical position by hooks *E and eyes 0 in the beam I, and in the tailboard, to the top edge of which I apply hosereels S, to be supplied with hose for elevating with ithe ladders, and for conveying water "to the tops of burning buildings or those in danger of conflagrations, or to be used in a line ofhose upon the ground; and when thus used the tail-board may be let down, as shown in Fig. 3, or the hose may be run ofl from the When the ladders are elevated, and before and while extending them, and after they are extended, they are held in position one way by cords 0 connected to the top of the lower section B, and to books 1; in the ends of the tail-board.

In constructing the extension-ladders and the hoisting-drums there must be a regular proportion of the diameters of the two drums,

so that when the ladders are elevated by their cords f and their drums b, preparatory to hoistin g or extending them,both cords shall become tightened, and both or all the movable sliding ladders will be carried upiat the same time,

andthe upper section will travel. upward about twice as fast as thesection next below it. By this means I am able to hoist or extend theladders in about half thetime it would require to hoisteach section separately; and, besides this, the hoistingapparatusviz .,the two proportionate idrumsafland b, and their connecting and operating mechanisms, the gears K, and cords dand ficon s tituteua very simple hoisting mechanism,

Iclailn asmy invention--- 1. Theswivel cross-bar N, with itsheadc, and its spindle and step D, constructed as shown and described, in combination with the end eyes 9 and the ladder, and carrying and supporting the latter by its lower ends, sub stantially as described.

2. In combination with the extension-ladders, the elevatingiand hoisting mechanism, consistingiof the larger andsmaller proportionate drumsaand I), theigears K and H,

cords d andf, wheels Jada-11d rolls a, substantially as described.

3. Hoisting-drums a and b, and their shaft and gears K, and movable endwise to connect with the driving-gears H,iand to disconnect therefrom,substantially as described, in 00111- bination with the rear wheels B, and with the extension-ladderaby cords d. andf, and wheels h and n, or connectingmechanisms.

4. The spring-connected struts K, in combination with the section B of the ladder,substantially as described.

CHARLES WARD. Witnesses:

JOHN E. CRANE, WM. S. BROWN. 

